All things Canadian.....

Volchenkov to play in Russia?

The Ottawa Senators may have created some salary-cap room without even trying. According to a Rusian news site, the Ottawa Citizen reports, defenceman Anton Volchenkov will stay at home next year and play with Lada Togliatti of the Russian Elite League. His three-year entry-level contract with the Senators ended this year. Although Volchenkov's departure would provide some financial relief, it would also be a huge loss on the blue-line, because he plays a bruising, aggressive game. Underthe new CBA, he would have had to take a 24-per-cent pay cut that would have dropped him below $800,000 U.S.

The Sens defence looks like this:

Chara and Phillips

Redden and deVries

Pothier and ?

While I like Volchenkov and the Sens would miss him - having him develop in Russia might not be that bad. Who wants to pay your sixth defenceman $800,000?Those top two pairings can eat up an entire game.As long as the Senators would still own his rights next year (when Chara might be lost) or the year after. Would they?